Donor
by MegaNerdAlert
Summary: Hermione expected, after finding out her father wasn't really her father, that locating her biological father would be hard. Turns out finding him was as easy as waving a wand, but getting along with an ill prepared for fatherhood Severus Snape, well, that was the difficult bit.


**I just spent the last two weeks reading "Heir of Prince Manor" and "Return to Prince Manor" (two very long stories, in which Severus is Harry's dad) ...which admittedly is to blame for this new story. To my fellow MM/HG fans who are waiting for updates on those kinds of stories, I apologize for the wait. I've been feeling very stuck in the rut lately, as far as my writing goes, and felt like if I tried something totally different, a story like I'd never done (or seen done) before, it would stretch me as a writer. Nano starts in a week, and I do plan on doing something for that, though I cross my heart and (you can all throw dung beetles at me if I don't) promise a Dueling update BEFORE I start Nano. **

**As it stands, this is a oneshot, with great potential to be more, depending on the response. I have nothing specific planned as far as where to go with this, but the idea is good (I think), and as always I would covet your opinions on a more family friendly fic. **

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Hermione Granger stepped off the Hogwarts Express, anxious to start her third year of magical schooling. On top of everything she planned to do with Harry and Ron, and with all those extra classes, she had another project on her plate. She wanted to find out who her biological father was. Over the summer, her parents had sat her down and explained that she was old enough to know the truth of her birth. Her father had been unable to give her mum a baby, so they elect to use a sperm bank in order to conceive. The knowledge had not fazed Hermione too much – after all, it was not as if she was finding out she was the product of an affair or anything, simply that half of her genetic makeup came from some other man. It hadn't taken long for it to occur to the soon to be fourteen year old witch that her biological father might very well be a wizard. She knew that muggleborn witches and wizards were not uncommon at all, and her biological father could have been a muggle, but something inside the girl felt that he was a wizard.

Her first plan of action was to go to Madam Pomfrey and inquire as to how to find out what wizards had an A negative blood type – a blood type that Hermione had but did not share with her mum, leading her to suspect that her biological father had A negative blood as well. Hermione headed to the hospital wing directly after the Welcoming Feast, unsurprised to find the Hogwarts matron had beaten her there. If that failed, well, her hair had begun to darken dramatically over the summer, and her mum had blond hair, so she could at least assume her biological father had darker hair like she was getting.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Granger?" Madam Pomfrey asked, looking the girl up and down as if she was searching for a sign of injury.

"I found out over the summer that my parents had me via a sperm donation, and I suspect my biological father may be a wizard," Hermione explained quietly. "Is there any way you can help me get a record of wizards who share my blood type?"

"I can do better than that, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey replied curtly. "There is a healer's spell that reveals a person's parentage. If your biological father was indeed a wizard, the spell will tell me exactly who he is. I am afraid that if he was a muggle then you will have to find other means of finding out the man's identity."

Hermione smiled. This was going to be easier than she thought. "Even if he's not a wizard," she mused. "That test would at least save me the trouble of looking outside the muggle world for answers."

"Very well, stand still," The Hogwarts matron instructed, pointing her wand at Hermione and muttering a spell under her breath. A few seconds later, Madam Pomfrey gasped. "Oh my."

"What?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Is he a wizard? Do you know his name?"

Madam Pomfrey looked uncomfortable. "Er, Miss Granger, are you absolutely sure you want to know who he is? After all, he may not be interested in knowing about you. Most sperm donors do so for the gold, not because they had any desire for children."

Hermione frowned. "I understand, and I wouldn't force myself on any one. I just want to know the truth. If he is a wizard, he deserves to know about me at least. If he wants nothing to do with me, then so be it."

Madam Pomfrey steered Hermione towards a nearby bed and instructed her to sit. When the teenager had done so, the older woman took a deep breath and spoke. "Your biological father is Professor Severus Snape."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Oh."

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Severus Snape sighed as the third year Potions class filed out. He had an hour free till the next class, and was planning to get started on this month's Wolfsbane Potion during that time. He stood to leave, only to notice that Miss Granger was still sitting at her desk, looking directly at him, with a look of apprehension on her face. The Gryffindor's attitude in his class had changed a lot this term, he'd noticed. She seemed a bit subdued, and he always seemed to catch her looking at him. He prayed to Merlin the little know-it-all wasn't developing an adolescence crush on him. Minerva would absolutely _never_ let him live it down if she found that to be the case. Not that he was remotely interested. She was a child for crying out loud. He was old enough to be her father, and he dearly hoped that she realized that as well.

"What do you need, Granger?" he asked impatiently. "You won't be getting you last assignment back till tomorrow, so don't even think of asking to go over it."

"No, sir," the girl said quietly. "I wanted to speak to you about a personal matter, if you have a few minutes."

_Oh bloody hell!_ Severus winced internally. "Granger, you cannot possibly be interested in me like _that_," he snapped.

Hermione gaped at him for about three seconds before she found her tongue. "Sir, you've mistaken what I meant by _personal_," she said firmly.

"Well good," Severus replied with a sigh of relief. "I am, after all, old enough to be your father and it would be beyond ludicrous to think…"

"You _are_ my father, sir," the girl said sharply.

Severus stopped talking immediately, taking his turn to gape at her. "Excuse me?"

"December 12th, 1978, you walked into a muggle sperm donor clinic and…you know," Granger said, blushing. "For Christmas my dad agreed to let my mum use a sperm donor to have a baby – me – as he was unable to provide one for her. I was born September 19, 1979."

Severus listen to what Granger was saying, wanting very much to deny every having done such a thing, but he clearly remembered the day in question, and how he had donated in order to have enough money to get totally plastered on the one year anniversary of Lily's marriage to James Potter. The irony of how the child standing in front of him was the result of the night he wanted to get drunk to forget the woman he would have wanted to have children with did not escape him. "Well then," Severus said, clearing his throat. "You're certain?"

Granger – Hermione, Severus corrected himself, nodded slowly. "Madam Pomfrey confirmed it," she whispered.

"What do you want from me?" Severus inquired, curious as to what possessed this Gryffindor to admit to being a product of her hated Professor.

Hermione looked surprised at his question. "Nothing, sir," she said. "I simply thought that you deserved to know. If you want to be a part of my life, I am open to that, but if not, I won't be offended. You didn't, I assume, plan to ever encounter the product of your sperm donation. I'm not looking to intrude on your life. Had I been a muggle like my mum, I probably never would have bothered seeking out my biological father. But as I'm a witch, I wondered if he – you I mean – was a wizard. It means I'm a half-blood, not muggleborn," she said pointedly, knowing he'd understand the significance.

Severus walked around his desk and stood in front of Hermione, looking her up and down. Her hair had started getting darker, like his, he noticed. His mother had been the same way – blond as a child and then dark hair as soon as she hit puberty. He recognized the eyes, lips, and jawbone that they shared. Everything inside of him confirmed that this girl was indeed his flesh and blood. The question still remained as to what he planned to do about it.

"I need some time to think this over," he said eventually. "I ask that you keep this between us until I decide what to do."

"Yes, sir," Hermione nodded, eyes not betraying any feeling. "I expected as much. Madam Pomfrey is the only other person who knows. I haven't even told my parents."

"Hermione," Severus said, forcing out the unfamiliar name, "if I do decide to claim you as my child, you must understand the differences between muggle and wizarding law regarding a child born of genetic donation. The Ministry will insist on my obtaining some legal rights to you, as you are underage. Partial custody, probably. Is that something you want?"

Hermione looked thoughtful. "I didn't realize there had to be a legal aspect, though I'm sure my parents would understand. Anyway, it might be wise to have someone legally allowed to speak for me in the wizarding world, should something happen that my muggle parents wouldn't be able to understand, let along make a sound decision about."

"That is a very logical way to look at it," Severus replied, approval in his tone.

Hermione nodded, and picked up her bag. "I have to get to the Library. Let me know what you decide, Professor," she said politely. "I'll see you tomorrow in class."

Severus nodded and watched…his daughter…walk about of the classroom. _His_ daughter. _His. _The concept of having a child, someone to call family, was surprisingly appealing to Severus. He had no idea how to go about raising a teenage girl, a Gryffindor no less, but while he'd told Hermione he'd need to think about it, deep inside Severus already knew that he wouldn't deny her. He couldn't. For the first time since before Lily had married Potter, Severus Snape smiled.

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